Possession
by Maddie Rose
Summary: Alyss, a young mother, is inadvertently catapulted into the world of a wanted criminal when she finds herself on the run. Yet along the way, she will find herself beginning to question her identity - and that of her infant son. The extent to which she will go for her family is boundless - but she is not the only one learning the true definition of 'family'. Khan/OC ON HIATUS
1. Under The Ice

**Chapter One: Under The Ice**

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**A/N: Just another random little idea I had...there wasn't much said about Admiral Marcus's family, so I took the liberty of adding in his son Ryan, as well as my character Alyss. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think!**

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_The cold seeped into her very bones, eating her from within, until the ice in her soul was the only thing she could feel. Her eyelids seemed glued together, and she suddenly felt claustrophobic as she attempted to flutter them open to no avail. She could hear the sound of heavy footfalls, boots treading above or around or below. She had no sense of placement and the unknown frightened her, even as she struggled to reach above the surface and into consciousness._

_"Tell me about her." The voice was almost as familiar to her as her own. Admiral Alexander Marcus, a man she shared a close connection with. The boots clacked closer, and she twitched as something was ripped from her arm – a needle, by the sudden and unpleasant loss of contact._

_"Her name is Alyss Garland." The other voice was that of a younger man, not as distinctly American and somewhat less certain of himself. "Twenty-three years old. Height 175 centimetres, weight 67 kilos."_

_"Why did she wake up?" Admiral Marcus did not sound impressed. Alyss wanted to scream, to show him that she really was awake as he said, but her lips seemed frozen shut too. How long would it take her to thaw out, and why was she so cold in the first place? Something was taped around the arm from which the needle had been removed._

_"I don't know, sir. I think her tube was accidentally deactivated along with the other one. We don't know whether it's a very good idea to put her back under."_

_"Why's that?" Admiral Marcus's tone was prickling with irritation, so clear that Alyss felt like she was being jabbed with it like thousands of tiny pins and needles. "She seems like a perfectly healthy specimen to me."_

_The younger man hesitated for a brief moment. "She's three months pregnant, sir."_

_"She's _what_?" Admiral Marcus roared, as though pregnancy was more akin to some kind of lethal disease rather than the promise of a new life. "I've got no use for a pregnant female, do you understand? I would put her down, but…"_

_"The child would be interesting," the younger man said, his voice dripping with eagerness, "Think about it. Surely the father was one of the males we found. Wouldn't it be intriguing to find out if the baby is weaker or stronger than the parents? A child of their kind could prove a valuable asset."_

_Admiral Marcus considered this in silence. Alyss felt her eyes begin to flutter open, even as her body shivered from the cold that made her fingers and toes impossible to move. Before she could come to her senses completely, Admiral Marcus spoke again._

_"I have an idea."_

* * *

Alyss Marcus woke up in a struggle of sheets. It was a task to pull herself free of the cotton prison, despite her temptation to simply rip her way out of the situation. She sat up and raked her hands through her ash-blonde hair, sucking in some air and forcing herself into a state of relative calm. She glanced across at Ryan, pleased to find that her husband was still sleeping soundly despite her distress. Alyss didn't want to wake him, not when he worked so hard. He needed all the sleep he could get.

It was the third time in as many nights that she had had that particular dream. It was always the same, not a single detail changing. What frightened her the most was the presence of Alexander, her husband's father. While she had never taken warmly to the man, he had never treated her with anything but polite respect and paternal kindness during her three years of marriage to his only son and oldest child, Ryan.

Alyss pushed herself to her feet and padded across to the balcony, pressing her palms against the glass and watching the 2am traffic weave a colourful blur through the city of San Francisco. She had been eighteen years old when she'd met Ryan, who was twelve years her senior. She'd been studying Law at the University of San Francisco; he had been an upstanding Starfleet graduate who had been a guest speaker.

Alexander had disapproved of their relationship at first, but he'd come around when convinced by Carol, his younger child, who was six years younger than Ryan. She'd been twenty when they'd married – but of course, her family had all died in the tragic house fire when she'd only been fourteen, so it was only Ryan's family at the wedding. Three years later, she'd become pregnant…and that was when the accident happened.

There were still blanks. No matter how hard Alyss tried, she couldn't remember everything, and that was what scared her the most. From what Alexander and Ryan had told her, she'd been in a car and an oncoming shuttle had rammed her from the side. She had been three months pregnant at the time, and very lucky not to miscarry. At that, she stopped working at the law firm and stayed at home, preparing for the arrival of their child.

A shiver ran down her spine for inexplicable reasons, and Alyss crossed into Toby's room to peer into his cot. The baby was asleep, his thumb in his mouth. She reached down and tenderly caressed his black hair, so different from her own blonde hair and Ryan's bronze locks. He was only six months old, yet to Alyss, he was everything she had hoped for. Ryan loved him dearly as well, although he had always been the sort who was good with kids.

Alyss tucked Toby's blankets around him and trailed back into the room she shared with her husband. She felt the strange urge to open the glass door and step onto the balcony, haul herself onto the ledge and just stand there in the wind. It was an odd inclination, one she'd never indulged. She knew that she wouldn't fall, yet she didn't know how she knew that. Shaking her head and attributing such irrational desires to lack of sleep, she climbed back into bed beside Ryan and cocooned herself in the sheets once again.

* * *

Alyss stirred the boiling pot of pasta with a fork, Toby balanced on her hip. The baby had been very active as usual, so Alyss worried that in the time it took her to cook a meal, Toby would find himself in some kind of dangerous situation. While most babies his age were just beginning to crawl, Toby had progressed far past that stage. Alyss marvelled at her child's intelligence and early development.

The door opened and Ryan walked in wearing his Starfleet uniform – gold shirt and black pants. He looked slightly stressed, but nonetheless he walked across to Alyss as she jiggled Toby, who was reaching towards the boiling pot of water as though to touch it. Sometimes, it was a struggle to make sure such a clever child didn't get himself in trouble.

"Alyss." Ryan kissed his wife's cheek and glanced into the pot at the golden maelstrom of pasta.

"Daddy!" Toby exclaimed enthusiastically, which of course made Ryan's bright blue eyes light up. There was always such utter love on his face whenever their child was present, and it just made Alyss even more delighted to know that their son gave him joy.

"Hey, Toby," Ryan replied, stroking the baby's dark hair as Alyss handed him to him so as to better concentrate on the dinner.

"Stir fry for dinner," she announced, gesturing towards the vegetables frying in a pan. In his father's arms, Toby babbled incoherent baby nonsense, and Ryan kissed his cheek affectionately. Alyss glanced over her shoulder at her husband.

"Did you see your dad today?"

"No." Ryan seemed a bit surprised by the question. "Why?"

Alyss stopped and wondered whether it was a good idea to talk to Ryan about her nightmares. It was something distinctly personal, but then again, he was her husband. She could trust him with anything and it was likely just meaningless rubbish.

"I've been having weird dreams with him in then." Alyss left the pasta and switched the stove off, taking Toby back from her husband.

"Oh." Ryan frowned slightly, his brow furrowing. "What happens?"

Alyss looked into Toby's bright grey eyes as she held him close. "I wake up. I'm cold. Pregnant, only three months. Like as if I wake up from the accident in ice."

"Weird," Ryan muttered, watching as Alyss set Toby on the floor. The baby pushed himself unsteadily to his feet, before toddling over towards Ryan. Alyss watched with an awestruck smile on her face.

"He can walk already."

"That's my clever boy." Ryan picked Toby up and rocked him gently. He was bigger than most babies of six months, not to mention the fact that most children didn't start walking until they were twice his age.

"Daddy," Toby stated, reaching out to touch Ryan's face.

"He's so advanced," Alyss breathed, watching their child in wonder. If Toby was like this at six months old, what would he be like at five years, or even ten? The prospect frightened her ever so slightly, yet she was always in complete adoration of her son's intelligence.

"Carol's coming over for lunch tomorrow," Ryan stated, gaze fixated on his wife. The two women got along well, with Carol being a doting aunt towards Toby. It was good for Alyss to get company during the day, as she was often left to care for Toby until the sun dipped below the horizon and Ryan came home from work.

"That'll be nice." Alyss forced a smile, but in truth, she was very tired. These past few nights, her sleep had been uneasy and disrupted by nightmares. "Ryan? I wanted…I wanted to see our wedding photos."

"What?" Ryan appeared somewhat startled by her request, something like shock flickering behind his blue eyes before he masked it quickly. Her eyes searched his, but Ryan cleared his throat, jiggling Toby and clutching the baby close. "I…I'm not sure where they are, Alyss. Among our old things, probably. I'll take a look on the weekend."

_What if there are no wedding photos?_ Alyss tried to push the thought away, but it wouldn't leave her alone, stuck to her like a fly in a web. Why was she so paranoid about everything? It had to be a side-effect of what had happened, the accident. That was the only explanation. Although…she'd never doubted Ryan, not before the nightmares. Yet how could their relationship be a lie, when Toby was living proof?

"Where are you going?" Alyss asked as Ryan dumped Toby into her unprepared arms. He grabbed the phone and started tapping things in, walking briskly towards the door to the lounge. "Ryan?"

"I just need to talk to a work colleague," Ryan replied rather distractedly, sliding closed the door behind him. Frowning at her husband's abrupt answer, Alyss set Toby on the kitchen tiles and crept over towards the door, trying to see what she could discern of the conversation. Through the blurred glass, Ryan was pacing in agitation. It was not a work colleague he was talking to, but his father.

"…don't know what to do." Ryan sounded exasperated and he raked a hand through his hair. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Alyss moved away from the door when Ryan turned to pace back the other way. She felt guilty, steeling back into the kitchen like a thief. She didn't have the right to spy on her husband. He had been nothing but good to her, understanding since the accident. What if she had miscarried Toby? The thought was too difficult for Alyss to bear, so she turned her mind from the matter.

"Dinner's ready!" Alyss called, hoping that it would cause Ryan to end his conversation. She wanted to ask him questions, but she didn't dare. Instead she picked up Toby and went to put him in his high chair, biting her lip as those too-intelligent, bright eyes bored into hers.


	2. Still Alive

**Chapter Two: Still Alive**

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** A/N: Wow, 14 reviews! Thank you guys so much! As for questions about Alyss and Toby: they'll all be answered in time. This chapter is still building, but don't worry, next chapter is when things are going to get really interesting ;) There are some sexual themes in this chapter, nothing M-rated, but Alyss and Ryan ARE married (or are they?). **

**I've also made a little video for this story, which you can find here: www . youtube watch? v=h-oZy_hssGo. Tell me what you think! It's just a short little attempt for now, but I might try a longer one later on. Let me know what you think of this chapter! You've been awesome with reviews so far, please, keep up the good work and let me know how I'm doing!**

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Alyss felt that she was snooping, but something just wasn't adding up. When Ryan was at work and Toby had reluctantly settled into his nap, she found herself kneeling down in front of the cabinets in the lounge room. Ryan said it was personal work belongings in there, but Alyss had remarkably managed to break the lock with only her hands. She surmised it must just be old and broken, one of those ancient cabinets that actually still required a key to open.

It wasn't just work belongings. Alyss found an old tablet. It was powered down on battery, so she charged it up and pounced when the green light went on. She browsed through the picture files and her heart leapt with hope when she found the folder titled _Ryan's wedding._ So there were pictures after all! Yet when she tapped eagerly on the folder, her every muscle froze and tablet started to crack between her fingers as she pressed down hard.

These were not photos of herself and Ryan. They were of Ryan and a dark-haired young woman who Alyss didn't recognise. The longer she stared down at those photos, the more she felt her anger building. Her heart felt like it was breaking in two. It wasn't the only thing – in Alyss's hands, the tablet was visibly cracking, the screen damaged from the unintentional strain she'd put on it.

"Jesus, Alyss!"

She shot to her feet as she noticed Ryan had walked into the lounge and frozen, blue eyes wide with shock as he realised what she was looking at. Alyss lost her temper and she hurled the tablet at him. He stepped aside and it hit the wall with a nasty crack. Alyss bitterly hoped it was broken, so that she could no longer see Ryan and the pictures of a wife who wasn't her.

"Who is she, Ryan?!" Alyss demanded, her hands balling into fists either side of her as Ryan continued to watch her in astonishment. "That _woman_ in those photos?! I've never seen her before in my life. Your wife. Is she your wife? Where are our wedding photos? Do they even exist? Did you leave her for me, because I was pregnant with Toby?"

"No, dammit!" Ryan burst out, her normally even-tempered husband reaching up to pick up the shattered tablet in a swift, angry movement. His blue eyes weren't full of fury or even guilt – there was sorrow there, as his fingers traced over the broken plastic almost longingly. "She _was_. I…I didn't want to tell you about her. It's still hard to talk about, even all these years later."

"All these years…?" Alyss suddenly felt foolish. Yes, Ryan had been younger in those photos, but she'd been unable to decipher exactly how much younger. Her tense posture slackened as she saw the sadness written across her husband's face. "Ryan. Will you tell me? Please?"

"Alright." The word escaped him in a heavy sigh and he flopped down onto the couch, patting the spot beside him. Alyss strode over and sat beside him, although she couldn't help but fidget in anticipation. "Her name was Erin. Erin Turner. When I first met her, you would only have been a child. We were high school sweethearts and we married too early, when we were only nineteen. So things got…complicated."

Alyss listened in silence, but the more Ryan spoke, the more she felt distanced from him. In their four years of marriage, he had failed to tell her about this Erin…his first wife. Did he not trust her? She felt unimaginably betrayed, but didn't speak as he continued his story.

"Erin was…well, she wanted a child. I insisted that we were too young, but we tried anyway. There were problems. We went and saw a doctor…and found out that Erin had cancer. She had a year to live."

"What happened during that year?" Alyss asked quietly. Was that why Alexander had disliked her, because he saw her as a younger woman who would never replace Erin?

"Nothing." Ryan's tone was bitter. "Erin just got sicker. I was twenty-two when she died. She was just so young, we both were. I thought after that, I would never open up again. I didn't think I could love anyone the way I loved Erin. Then I got to know you, Alyss."

There was something that made Alyss want to insist that he didn't love her, a part of her she didn't quite understand. But she took Ryan's hand in her own and squeezed tightly enough to make him wince slightly. She felt that she had to live up to his expectations now. Was she like Erin, and he saw his dead wife's ghost in her, or completely different? Alyss was even more troubled than she had been before.

* * *

Alyss sat on the bed in her singlet and undies, brushing out her long blonde hair. It had been another difficult day, and Toby had been more trying than usual. Ryan had seemed more stressed these past few days, as if his confession about Erin had put more weight on his shoulders instead of taking it off.

He'd been in the shower for the past fifteen minutes though, steam wafting through into the bedroom. Alyss hoped the hot water would help relax some of the tension. Ryan trailed into their room with a towel around his waist, and Alyss couldn't help but examine him. As a man in his mid-thirties, Ryan was somewhat self-conscious about his physique at times, but Alyss didn't think he had anything to worry about.

"You look good." She set the brush down next to the bed.

"So do you." Ryan raked a hand through his hair, watching as Alyss lay back, examining him closely with a slight frown lingering about her lips. "You still seem stressed. Come here."

Alyss pulled Ryan to her, sitting him down on the edge of the bed and crouching on her knees behind him, fingers trailing up and down his back. He was definitely still very tense, and as unusual as it was for Alyss to consider a massage, she thought it might be one of the only things that could help. She started to massage Ryan's shoulders, applying firm pressure.

Ryan's head fell forward and he let himself relax. Alyss was strong for a woman, and the pressure felt good. He groaned as her hands started to alleviate some of the tension in his back. She laughed and pressed a kiss to his neck, beginning to grow slightly more mischievous.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Alyss pressed closer and slid her hands up his chest from behind, before spinning herself around him so that she was in his lap. He pressed his lips to hers and Alyss returned the kiss, tilting her head back as Ryan's hand wound into her blonde hair. His lips trailed down her neck and she felt little thrills of pleasure racing up her spine at the contact.

"Do you want to?" Alyss asked, and they both knew she was talking about sex. It wasn't that they never did, it just wasn't a common occurrence. Ryan was busy with work, Alyss was busy with Toby. When they finally managed to get time alone, sleep was on their minds before sex. In fact, Alyss could only recall three occasions in which they'd had sex since Toby had been born.

Ryan nodded and Alyss tugged her singlet over her head. He lay her down on the bed and he crawled on top of her, kissing down her neck as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as he nibbled at the tender skin.

"Tease," she murmured.

Ryan slid his hand up her leg and Alyss dug her nails hard into his shoulders as his fingers reached her thigh. She raked her nails down his back, eliciting a groan from him. Ryan kissed his way down her collarbone towards her breasts, but suddenly Alyss had been plunged into a completely different world, in a completely different situation.

_"I would have thought I was too_ _young for you." She was only about eighteen, her tone teasing as she looked up at a man of around thirty. He was about six feet tall, with a pale, sharp-featured face and high cheekbones. His hair was black as sin and his eyes were a bright, piercing blue._

_"You are old enough," the man stated. His voice was deeper than Ryan's, baritone and silky. His critical gaze swept over her form. "Do you deny that this is what you want?"_

_"No." Her voice was a whisper, almost defeated. The man pressed her against the wall, powerful arms resting either side of her so that even if she wanted to run, she couldn't have. His breath was hot against her neck and she turned her face, but her heart was racing fast._

_"Look at me." The man gripped her chin, turning her to face him. "Alyss. Tell me that you want this, want us…"_

"Alyss?" Ryan's concerned tone brought her crashing back to reality, and she had to blink a few times to make sure that it was him and not the dark-haired man who had her pressed against the wall. She screwed her eyes shut, but his face was still there, printed behind her eyelids, cold and yet fervent.

"What's wrong? Alyss?"

She jolted and opened her eyes, staring up at Ryan. He had pushed himself back now, so that he still hovered over her, but there was a respectable amount of distance between them. Alyss was acutely aware that she was shirtless, and immediately rectified the situation by pulling her singlet on.

"I…I saw a man." She bit her lip, glancing at her husband.

"A man?" Ryan repeated, but his tone was guarded, as though on the brink of jealousy. She hoped he didn't think she was keeping secrets from him, as he had been from her. She was the open one in their relationship…and yet, he didn't know about her dreams.

"With blue eyes cold as ice," Alyss whispered. She let Ryan put his arms around her and pull her close, and he was comfortingly warm against her skin. She rested her head against his chest. "Am I going crazy? Is this because of the accident?"

"No, you aren't going crazy," Ryan said firmly, which only served to make Alyss all the more worried. If she wasn't crazy, what was she?

* * *

Toby was fretting in the middle of the night. This had been a usual occurrence when he had just been born, but it hadn't been so frequent during the past month or so. Nonetheless, Alyss pushed herself out of bed and went to pick up her son, rubbing his back and jiggling him as his wails slowly started to quieten.

She held him in her arms and looked down at him, the little baby who stared up at her with wide blue eyes. They were not Ryan's eyes, though. Not the warm forget-me-not blue that her husband, his father and his sister possessed. Toby's eyes were paler, like the sky right on dawn. His dark hair was soft as she stroked it – soft, and coal black. His colouring matched the man she had seen.

What did it matter? Two sides were fighting within her. One wanted her to stay away from such thoughts, because her marriage to Ryan and their joint parentage of Toby was all that was real. Yet her more treacherous side wanted to investigate, to find out if there was any truth to the thoughts that had been occurring more and more frequently, almost visions, of a life that wasn't hers.

"Mummy." Toby reached for her, small hands seeking her face. She lifted him up and allowed his tiny fingers to traverse her nose, her cheeks. He was a very tactile boy, although that was certainly a trait that stemmed from her.

"My sweet little Toby." Alyss smiled, seeing that Toby had calmed down. His crying had stopped and she set him down in his cot, pulling the blankets over him and stroking his hair as he sucked his thumb. He was the anchor to the truth, she knew it. Yet it was growing more and more difficult now to profess what the truth really was.


	3. Choke

**Chapter Three: Choke**

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**A/N: I know, I know, there is disappointingly little Khan in this chapter. BUT! That will be rectified next chapter ;) Please do review, I'd love to know what you're thinking...and what your thoughts are about Khan and Alyss ;)**

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Ryan Marcus took a deep breath as he entered his father's office, wondering whether he was doing the right thing. Since the beginning, it had been his duty to report on Alyss, to make sure that the pregnancy went smoothly. Alexander was always paranoid that Alyss would lose the baby, but after Toby had been born, Ryan was expected to make reports about him as well.

At first, he hadn't had a problem with it. Why would he? Alyss was an Augment, the only other aside from Khan to wake up, for reasons they still weren't certain of. Yet Ryan had been lonely since Erin died, and having Alyss and Toby around…he had come to care for her despite what she was, and the baby despite who he was fathered by. They were his family now, even if they hadn't been at first, and reporting on them felt akin to a betrayal.

"Hello, son." Alexander Marcus looked up as Ryan stood stiffly in front of his desk. His eldest child had always been the one to follow orders. Carol asked questions, she pestered. Ryan was a Starfleet operative as well as a son – he did what he was told, and he didn't protest about it.

In some ways, Alexander felt bad for pushing Alyss and Toby onto Ryan – but it had given his son some semblance of family, even if it was a false one. Yet there was no doubt in Alexander's mind that his son had formed an attachment to the young woman and her child. There was no doubt in his mind that his son was sleeping with Alyss – she was an attractive woman, after all – and of course, that sort of thing ultimately led to romantic feelings.

"Anything to report?"

"She's starting to remember," Ryan replied, trying to push aside any guilt that weighed down upon his shoulders. Alyss was not his wife, he didn't owe her anything. Yet at the same time, Alyss had not done anything bad by Ryan.

"This is not good." Alexander raked a hand through his thin layer of hair. If Alyss remembered enough about her past, she could become a danger to them. "Something will have to be done."

"Like what?" Ryan asked, although he had the horrible feeling that he already knew the answer to his own question. There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Alyss had been spared because of the fact that she was pregnant. Alexander had been interested in observing the child, especially when Ryan had informed him that Toby had already started walking at six months old.

"Put her down if she remembers too much." Alexander stated, and there wasn't a hint of remorse written anywhere on his aged face. "The kid too maybe."

Ryan baulked at that. "I'm not killing a child."  
"You don't have to kill them." Alexander frowned, studying his son. Of course, he'd been there with Toby from the beginning, right after the baby's birth. He would see the child as being his own, even if he hadn't physically fathered the little boy. "I can send someone else if it bothers you."

"They don't need to die," Ryan said firmly. Alyss was not a danger anymore, she believed herself to be his wife. She did have doubts at times, but was that really something for her to die for? The thought of killing Toby, that little baby with the infectious smile, made him feel like he was going to throw up.

"Let me remind you of something, son." Alexander's blue eyes narrowed, and he leaned across his desk. "She is not your wife. He is not your child."

"They are innocent in this," Ryan protested. He'd heard the reports of how Khan – known to most of Starfleet as John Harrison – was becoming more and more restless. Perhaps this was what was driving his father's paranoia.

"Innocent?" Alexander repeated, sounding as though the word disgusted him. "Don't forget what she is, she's a murderer. That baby will grow up to be one of them if we aren't careful."

Ryan thought about Toby, how the child would reach up and touch his face. He loved that little boy, even if it wasn't his own. He would hurt himself before he would let someone hurt Toby. Would it really come down to choosing between his father, and the infant he saw as his son?

"Then kill her and spare the baby." Alexander shrugged, as if it was really that simple. "Is that going to be too difficult for you, son? You can raise the child as your own, I have no complaints about that. But it sounds like that woman is going to become a problem, and I already have enough problems to deal with."

Ryan clenched his jaw, but he knew that if he objected, Alexander would have someone else sent after Alyss and Toby. So he would agree, and try and frantically think up some possible way out of it. Could he really kill Alyss if he had to? He wasn't sure that he knew the answer.

"No. It won't be difficult at all."

* * *

Section 31 was a mess, and Khan was pleased with the result. What he was not pleased with was the fact that no matter his frantic search, he had been unable to find the missing cryo-tube. The count had been 73 when they had gone to sleep, but he had been enraged to discover there were only 72 when he woke up. Someone was missing, and he knew precisely who it was.

Khan knew something was off about not being able to access Marcus's top-secret files, but part of Thomas Harewood's deal had been finding out the codes. With Section 31 in ruins around him, Khan impatiently tapped in the access codes. When the prohibited files flashed across the screen, Khan gritted his teeth in anger. His hands were beginning to shake.

All it took was the photo file. Khan had met Ryan Marcus several times, one of the few who knew his true identity. He had known the man was the Admiral's son, yet there had been no mention of a wife and child. Yet there they were – a happy little dark-haired baby, only a few months old, and…

"Alyss," Khan hissed through his teeth. The 73rd cryo-tube hadn't been there, because the 73rd cryo-tube had already been opened. Khan hurled the data pad to the ground and stamped hard on it, smashing the screen.

* * *

"I think you should spend more time with Toby," Alyss called to Ryan, flopping back on the bed in her singlet and shorts. "He misses you during the day."

Ryan sighed heavily. This topic of conversation had been frequent of late. Alexander had been keeping Ryan busy, and then there was the fact that he was due to go out on a mission on _U.S.S Pulver_ any day now. Having recently been promoted to the rank of Commander, Ryan was likely going to spend a lot more time away from home within the next few months at least.

"I can't. I have to work."

Alyss rolled onto her side, watching him closely. "Sweetheart, he's your son. He misses you."

"I know." Ryan sat down beside her. Alyss scooted over next to him, placing her cool hand atop his. He slid an arm around her shoulders and she snuggled close, relishing in the comfort she found in his arms. She lay down and pulled Ryan down beside her, unable to suppress a yawn.

"I think it's sleep time."

Ryan watched her roll onto her side, raking a hand through his hair. Could he really bring himself to murder this woman? He pushed aside any feelings he had. He had to view Alyss not as a husband would, but as a Starfleet operative would. She could become dangerous, and in turn, so would Toby. Perhaps it was better to eliminate her. Toby was what interested Alexander – Alyss had simply been the child's mother.

Ryan wrenched Alyss onto her back, gripped her by the throat. Her eyes widened in shock, but he couldn't allow himself to show mercy. She struggled beneath him, weakly at first when she didn't understand what he was doing. Ryan tightened his grip on her neck and she started to choke.

"Ryan?" Her voice was hoarse, frightened. "What are you doing?"

He didn't respond. He couldn't, because if he did the ruthless façade would certainly break. Ryan tightened his grip until he thought Alyss's slender neck might snap from the pressure. She cried out and twisted his wrist in a hard, fast motion. He yelled out, and Alyss threw him back so hard that he hit the opposite wall.

Alyss watched him in shock, breathing hard. It wasn't only his actions that scared her, but her own. How had she managed to break his wrist and throw him several feet? She clutched her pillow to her and pressed her face into it, hot tears leaking down her cheeks. What was going on? Why had Ryan suddenly attacked her, and how had she suddenly managed to display such strength?

"Alyss…" Ryan sounded weary, even as white bone protruded through his flesh and blood spattered onto their cream-coloured carpet. He had not seen her true strength before and he had to admit that it intimidated him.

"What is going _on_?!" Alyss demanded, despite knowing that her volume could very well wake Toby. "Ryan, I thought…you tried to kill me."

"My father wants you dead," Ryan stated, stumbling into the bathroom and searching frantically for something to fix his broken wrist. He clamped a device onto his arm, yelling in pain when the bone was pushed back beneath the skin, the bloody cut stitched up with stainless steel staples.

Alyss went cold inside as she followed the trail of blood, watching him from the doorway. Alexander had never been anything more than cordial towards her…but he wanted her dead? It seemed extreme, especially when Ryan was obviously the one meant to carry out the deed.

"Why?" Alyss asked, her voice icy as she folded her arms over her chest. She didn't even feel any muscular aches from throwing Ryan across the room. What was wrong with her that she'd reacted like that? Of course, he _had_ tried to strangle her…but she had never known she was even more physically powerful than her husband. "I haven't done anything to him. What possible reason does he have to want me dead? You're not making any sense, Ryan."

"There's a lot you don't know, Alyss." Ryan's voice softened slightly as he used a sterilized cloth to wipe the blood from his arm. He crossed over and touched her cheek, but she flinched away from him. "I can't hurt you. I tried to carry out his orders, but…I love you, Alyss. I have to get you safe, you and Toby both."

Alyss tensed up. "Toby's in danger?"  
"You both are," Ryan admitted heavily, licking his dry lips. "I can get you somewhere safe. We're leaving when you've packed up."

Something attached to Ryan's belt started beeping. They both glanced down to where his com was flashing on his belt. Ryan pulled it off and checked it, his face paling. Alyss frowned.

"What? What is it?"

"Emergency section Daystrom." Ryan swallowed hard, gesturing towards Toby's room. "I have to attend a meeting. Grab Toby and some things. You have to come with me. I'll hide you out the back until it's done, Dad won't know a thing."

"Ryan…" Alyss protested. This was beginning to sound more dangerous by the minute. If Alexander Marcus had any indication that Alyss was alive when he'd ordered Ryan to kill her, they would both be in serious trouble. "No. We'll stay here, we'll be fine. Just come back as soon as the meeting's over, okay?"

Ryan grabbed a shirt and swiftly tugged it on, kissing Alyss's cheek. She turned her face but he caught her by the shoulders.

"Hey. Look, I know I hurt you, that was wrong of me. But if I was going to kill you, I would have done it. There's a lot I need to tell you. I'll explain everything when I get back from the meeting, alright? I do love you, Alyss. It's the reason I can't hurt you."


	4. Aboard The Enterprise

**Chapter Four: Aboard The Enterprise**

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**A/N: Hey everyone! So I got the book recently and I'm using it for a lot of the dialogue, so if some of it is different to what's in the movie you understand why. Also I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit too fast or confusing, but I can promise you Khan/Alyss interaction next chapter :) Please do review! It gets my motivation up and I'd love to know what you think.**

* * *

The dim lighting of the conference room, and the intensity of the situation, kept Ryan Marcus from having to meet his father's gaze. What would he do? How was he meant to play the part of a man who had murdered his wife? Ryan glanced at his captain, Klaus Orwell. The man was grim-faced enough in normal times, but this emergency meeting meant Orwell had lapsed into the appropriate level of serenity.

"Thank you for convening on such short notice." Alexander Marcus's gaze swept the room, and Ryan immediately averted his eyes. "By now all of you have heard what happened in London. The target was a Starfleet data archive. Now it's a damn hole in the ground, and forty-two men and women are dead. One hour ago, I received a message from a Starfleet officer who confessed to carrying out this attack, and that he was being forced to do it by this man: Commander John Harrison."

Ryan stiffened in his seat, hands balling into fists. Aside from himself, the only other in the room who knew of John Harrison's true identity was the Admiral. _Khan._ He started to panic without meaning to. Ryan had left Alyss and Toby at home, promising they would be safe. But now Khan was loose, anything could happen. If he went after Alyss…Ryan forced himself to remain calm. He couldn't betray a hint of emotion, or he'd reveal his deceptions against not only Orwell, but his own father.

"What's in the bags?" Jim Kirk muttered from Orwell's other side. He was intently studying a picture of Khan, little aware of the man's true identity, and the atrocities he was capable of.

"James, not now," Admiral Christopher Pike reprimanded from Kirk's other side. Alexander's attention immediately turned on the two men who had been whispering while he was talking.

"Chris? Everything okay there?"

"Yes, sir." Pike shot Kirk a firm look. "Mr Kirk is just acclimating himself to his new position as my first officer."

Marcus didn't seem to buy it. "You got something to say, Kirk, say it. Tomorrow's too late. Spit it out, son. Don't be shy."

"I was just wondering." Kirk seemed reluctant to share his opinion, but then he grew bolder. "Why the archive? All that information is public record. Sir, in the event of an attack, protocol mandates that senior command gather all available captains and first officers at Starfleet headquarters. Right here. In this room."

It was the high-pitched whine and soft glow that caught Ryan's attention, and he looked up sharply. Maybe Kirk was right after all. He'd heard rumours that the man was stubborn and didn't follow orders, but that wasn't to say he was unintelligent. It was Kirk who jumped to his feet, looking towards the window as red light streamed through and a small jumpship descended into view.

"_Clear the room!_"

* * *

Khan fired upon the conference room, swinging the jumpship back and forth outside the shattered window. Immediately the officers started running and screaming, throwing themselves desperately out of the way. He could not help but smile. So much for the bravery of Starfleet. When confronted with an imminent threat, they reverted to truly pathetic behaviour, relying on their survival instincts alone.

Through the chaos, Khan could not see where Admiral Marcus had gone. Surely the man had been a part of the meeting – yet he was nowhere in sight. However, Khan _did_ catch sight of his son, Ryan Marcus…the man who had stolen Alyss. He was helping other injured officers out of the room. So noble, so _valiant_ of him. At least he was not a coward like his father.

Ryan spun around to face the jumpship, as though somehow sensing that Khan's eyes were now focused solely on him. His mouth opened in slight surprise, but Khan would show him no mercy. This man had taken one of the things Khan held most dear, and now he would be destroyed for it. As Khan opened fire, Pike grabbed Ryan and tackled him to the ground. Ryan felt searing heat, and a sharp pain in his shoulder.

Pike groaned and Ryan's heart thundered a fast pace in his chest as he rolled the older man off, to realise that Pike had been mortally wounded. He cursed angrily, realising Pike had risked his own life in order to save Ryan's. Glancing around desperately and wiping grime off his face, Ryan looked for anyone who could help him.

"Commander Spock!" The Vulcan turned at the sound of Ryan's call, hurrying over and inspecting Pike critically. "He's been hit. Help me get him out of here."

* * *

Ryan returned wild-eyed and grimy, looking as though he had rolled in the mud. Alyss had been rocking Toby, but she immediately set the infant down when she saw her husband's state. His blue eyes were wide and he was pale as though he'd seen a ghost. She crossed over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and inspecting him critically.

"Ryan, what the hell happened?"

"He shot at us…" Ryan walked into the bathroom, staggering like a drunk man. He peeled his shirt off and Alyss was startled to see blood smeared across his chest, flowing from a deep wound in his shoulder. Biting her lip, she stepped close to inspect the cut.

"Who shot at you?"

"Never mind." Ryan shook his head, picking up a cloth. He ran it under the tap and used it to wipe away the blood that stained his skin, before he sealed up the wound with staples. Alyss glanced down to see that Toby had crawled after them and was watching both of them with wide, solemn eyes. "I have to get you two out of here. You're in danger."

"In danger from _who_?" Alyss persisted. She had the distinct feeling that Alexander was the least of her concerns, especially as it seemed as though Ryan had been attacked. Even his own father would not commit such an atrocity against his own son. "Ryan, please tell me. What happened?"

"The meeting was attacked," Ryan muttered, tugging on a clean shirt and watching blearily as Alyss scooped Toby into her arms. He was like a zombie, his movements more like shuffles. Alyss didn't think he was badly injured, so perhaps it was just the shock of whatever he'd seen. "Lots of people were killed, I was lucky to survive…Alyss, we need to get you off-planet."

"But you're coming with me, aren't you?" Alyss asked, dread settling in her stomach. Ryan had promised to explain everything. He'd tried to kill her and she still don't know why.

He sighed heavily. "Not yet. I have a mess to clean up. After that, I'll meet you on New Vulcan – we should be safe there, you, me and Toby."

* * *

Alyss walked into the massive shuttle hangar with Toby in her arms and tried not to feel overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of what she was confronted with. Ryan had given her a data pad full of information about the passenger shuttle headed towards New Vulcan. Announcements were being broadcast overhead, but Alyss jiggled her impatient son in her arms, feeling out of place in the long line of civilians.

"Jim, ten hours ago you were in a damn firefight. What kind of ship's doctor do you think I am?"

Alyss frowned and glanced over her shoulder. Ten hours ago, Ryan had stumbled into their apartment looking half-dead. Was it possible that this was the same attack Ryan had been involved in? The likelihood was that it was. Glancing around, Alyss stepped out of the queue and started to tail the two men – one dark-haired and the other blonde – over to their shuttle. She didn't have the slightest inclination what she was doing, she just knew that somehow it felt…right.

Alyss managed to push herself into the toilet cubicle, shutting and locking the door behind her. It was larger than on most commercial shuttles – typical, only the best for Starfleet officers. She sat down on the toilet seat and clutched Toby close, willing him not to start babbling or crying and asking for his father. Alyss remained frustrated with Ryan. He'd promised to explain everything, yet she had to wait for him to arrive on New Vulcan before he would.

* * *

Alyss waited a tense fifteen minutes for the crew to depart the shuttle before she dared to open the cubicle door. Toby was very unsettled, as evidenced by his babbling and hand gestures. She gently pushed his pudgy little arm down when he started pointing at something. Alyss had no clue where they were, only that this had been a stupid decision on her part. What was following men talking about the attack going to do? Perhaps…it seemed ridiculous…but perhaps some part of her wanted to find the man who had been behind this.

"Let's see what we have here." Alyss stepped out of the shuttle, clutching Toby close to her. Thankfully the bay was deserted – Bay 11, by the looks of things. Stroking her child's dark hair absently, she wondered what exactly she was meant to do now. Yet her instincts somehow told her that this wasn't as stupid as she thought. Something was stirring beyond the loving wife and mother, something dangerous and powerful. Alyss shivered and crossed through to Bay 12.

Alyss inspected a small ship in the hangar bay. It appeared to be a trading craft – but how did she know that? A little perturbed by her sudden knowledge of things she'd never seen before, Alyss hurriedly glanced around to make sure that no one was lurking before she slipped inside the trading craft, setting Toby down on the floor and moving across to the controls. Her slim fingers traced over them and she knew, she _knew_ that she could fly this thing.

The entire ship suddenly jolted and Alyss was flung into a wall. The hit barely pained her, but she rubbed at the back of her head ruefully, wondering if there would be a lump later. Her attention immediately shifted to Toby, who had been crawling around and rolled upon the impact. The displacement had upset him and he'd started to wail. Picking the baby up, Alyss stroked his hair and hushed him, rocking him gently to settle him.

Glancing at the wall she'd collided with, Alyss was disturbed to see a distinct dent. She hadn't found the impact much more than bruising, yet it looked as though something heavier than her had hit the metal. She remembered how easily she had snapped Ryan's wrist when he'd attempted to choke her. A cold shiver ran down her spine. What _was_ she? What had Ryan meant to tell her?

Urgent voices made Alyss glance around frantically for a place to hide. She ducked down in the shadows at the back of the ship as two men boarded, walking right past her. They seemed hurried, and her concern that someone had seen her was put to rest when they went to work rearranging a few things.

"I think Kirk's mad, personally," one of the men said, "He should just fire the torpedoes on this guy and be done with it. Do you know how much damage he managed to do to headquarters, let alone the lives that were lost?"

Alyss remained silent, looking down at Toby, who examined her with solemn eyes. For his extreme youth, the baby at least seemed to understand when an appropriate time to be quiet was. Clutching him to her chest, Alyss watched as the two men continued to hurriedly refurbish the ship, moving things in and taking things out. There was no cubicle here for her to hide in, but she didn't want to risk making a run for it.

"Hendorff to bridge." The burly man with the beard had picked up his com. "Tell the captain that the ship is ready to go."

_Go where_? Alyss was frustrated at her own confusion. She had only bits and pieces of the full story. These people were most certainly hunting down the man who had attacked Ryan and other Starfleet officers…yet now they were flying out to meet him? Dread coursed through Alyss's veins – but as much as she felt worried about remaining aboard the ship, the thought of a challenge burned through her like fire.

She understood it now, at least part of what Ryan had not told her. Her innate knowledge of this ship despite never having been in such a craft before. Her shocking strength when she had snapped Ryan's wrist. Why she had barely felt her impact against the side of the ship.

She was not human.


	5. Maternal Instincts

**Chapter Five: Maternal Instincts**

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**A/N: Finally, an update! Alright, so this involves a bit of badass Alyss...please let me know how I did! This chapter just didn't feel right to me...but let me know your thoughts on it! **

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It sounded to Alyss as though the three people in the cockpit piloting the small craft were arguing about personal relationships. Odd, considering they were meant to be professional Starfleet operatives. There were five of them in all, counting the two security operatives in the back close to where Alyss was crouched with an unusually solemn Toby in her arms. A sudden jolt of the small ship made Alyss clutch at whatever surface she could hold onto to maintain her balance.

"What the hell was that?" One of the three in the cockpit demanded – Jim Kirk, she'd established from the others talking about him.

"A D4-class Klingon vessel, captain," The Vulcan named Spock replied. Alyss shifted forward to try and gain a visual of what was happening, but she was only thrown about as the ship violently swayed once more. Retreating back to her small hideaway, Alyss silently begged Toby not to start crying or grow upset.

Alyss closed her eyes as they were jolted about even more roughly, and she clung to Toby as if he was supporting her and not the other way around. The infant in her arms fisted his small hands in her blonde hair, and Alyss took a deep breath. It seemed to be fifteen minutes of sickening evasive manouevres later that the ship finally stabilized – for reasons more troubling than the vessel they'd escaped from.

Three Klingon ships, similar to the one that had been pursuing them, had surrounded them –one directly ahead, one to the left and one to the right. As if sensing the hopelessness of the situation, Toby fretted and started to wail. Alyss immediately jiggled him and attempted to calm him down, but the damage was already done. The two security operatives in the back had heard.

"Was that someone crying?" One of them asked, moving towards where Alyss and Toby were hidden. There was nowhere she could have gone, but instead of hiding away from them she accepted the fact that she was going to be caught. A bearded man's face caught the light and he stared down at Alyss in shock. "You're not gonna believe this. Captain! We have a stowaway."

"Not now, Hendorff," Kirk replied, setting about bringing the ship to land as Uhura translated the harsh Klingon language, threats that sent chills up anyone's spine. The phrase 'stowaway' was not one that attracted the captain's attention at this immediate point in time. Only once the ship was settled in the dirt did he unstrap himself and turn around. "What were you saying?"

"A stowaway," Hendorff repeated, glancing down at Alyss. She remained completely silent, undeterred by his somewhat concerned examination of her. "A woman and a baby."

"A baby?" Uhura sounded thoroughly surprised as she unstrapped herself, walking over as Alyss pushed herself to her feet, still cradling a slowly settling Toby. The dark-haired woman's eyes went round as she recognised the blonde woman in front of her. "I know your face. You're…"

"Alyss Marcus," Alyss confirmed, sighing heavily. It was very bad timing for being discovered, in her opinion. What would happen to her and Toby when the Klingons boarded? Her maternal instinct flared. She would die rather than allow them to so much as touch her child. "I'm sorry for stowing away aboard your ship, but there really isn't time…"

"So we come out shooting," Kirk muttered, seemingly as shaken as the others by the threats of the Klingons surrounding them. Alyss had to admit that while the plan would certainly have merits, there were issues with it as well.

"We're outnumbered, outgunned," Uhura turned to glance at her captain. "There's no way we survive if we attack first. You brought me here because I speak Klingon. So let me speak Klingon."

* * *

"So, why are you here?" Kirk asked Alyss in a quiet undertone as they watched Uhura approach the Klingons through the glass. Alyss had a troubled feeling in her gut. She knew that Klingons hated humans, and did not think they could be trusted. She had the horrible suspicion that this attempt at negotiations was going to end badly.

"I'm on the run from an enemy who intends me and my child harm," Alyss replied enigmatically. Kirk was a Starfleet captain. There was no way he was going to believe that Admiral Marcus wanted his own daughter-in-law dead. Who knew what he intended for his grandson?

The Klingon leader Uhura was conversing with suddenly grabbed her neck, causing Alyss to gasp. She had known bad things were going to happen. Hurrying over to the seats at the back of the ship, she set Toby down and raked back her hair, picking up a gun. She'd never shot one before in her life, yet she had the odd notion that she knew exactly how to work one. It was as if there was something else beneath the surface in her mind, struggling to break free. A world of knowledge unexplored.

Suddenly, the Klingons were fired upon by someone Alyss couldn't see. She strode briskly back over to the glass, pressed her fingers against it, yet still she could not see anyone outside in the crumbled pillars and ruined structures. Kirk, Spock and the two security operatives rushed out of the ship, spurred on by this apparent stroke of good luck. Clutching her gun and glancing at Toby, Alyss moved into the entrance, watching the fight from a safe distance.

Yet she was strangely drawn in by the hooded figure with a weapon in each hand, taking the Klingons down with practised ease. One of the weapons was a handheld gun, but the other appeared to be a small cannon that should have been operated by two or more men, not simply one individual.

Alyss was so astounded by his remarkable strength and skill that she didn't notice how far she had drifted from the ship until she heard Toby crying. For a single moment, the lone warrior seemed to gaze right at her – through her nearly. Then Alyss turned and saw a Klingon headed straight for her baby with a weapon in hand. The fact that these Klingons would hurt an innocent child was what sparked the rage in Alyss, the animalistic fury.

With an irate roar, Alyss charged at the Klingon terrifying her son. She raised the gun in her hand and fired a single shot, yet even from the distance she was at, she managed to shoot him in the head. He collapsed to the ground and Alyss whirled around, noticing that more Klingons were coming for her, spurred on by the loss of one of their own. That was the moment Alyss Marcus, loving wife and caring mother, blinked out of existence.

Baring her teeth savagely, Alyss turned her gun on the Klingons headed her way. She gunned another down, the shots accurate and precise. A Klingon behind her knocked the gun from her hand and made her stumble forward, but she retaliated by whipping in a quick circle like a fierce ballerina, roundhouse kicking him with enough force to send him flying several feet backwards.

Another Klingon came at her and she swung around him with incredible speed, jumping on his back and proceeding to break his neck with her bare hands. It reminded her horribly of when she had broken Ryan's wrist, but the remorseful part of Alyss was currently dormant. All she knew, all she could feel pumping through her veins, was the desire to kill all of the Klingons. They had threatened her son, and for that, they would _die._

* * *

Khan watched the blonde woman with utter fascination. She was like some kind of lethal dancer, twirling in circles and then suddenly, sharply, lashing out with an arm or leg. Once the Klingons had targeted the ship, she had morphed very suddenly into a creature that was cold and knew no mercy. There was no mistaking the glimmer in those eyes, the determination that set the graceful bones of that face.

_Alyss._

Only once all the Klingons had been incapacitated did Khan pick up a gun and move towards Kirk and the others. Had they noticed the blonde woman who danced with death so beautifully? Alyss was precisely as Khan remembered her, but seeing him confronting her apparent friends, the humanity coursed back into her, and she sprinted over to see what was happening.

"The torpedoes. The weapons you threatened me with in your message. How many are there?" Khan demanded of Kirk. While he and his companions appeared to be out of breath, Khan was perfectly composed despite the fact that he had been the one doing a majority of the fighting.

"Seventy-two," Spock stated, as Kirk continued to do nothing but glower up at Khan with hatred in his eyes. Alyss reached them and immediately positioned herself between Khan and the crew, as though she could shield them from him. Yet there was no recognition in her eyes, no indication that she knew him at all.

"Where is the baby?" Uhura inquired of Alyss, causing the blonde's eyes to widen before she moved through the debris back towards the ship they'd come in. Ah yes, the baby. The child whose parentage Khan was seriously beginning to question. The numbers just didn't add up. Was Alyss's child truly Ryan's…or was he in fact the father?

"I surrender," Khan stated, throwing his weapon to the ground. With the presence of Alyss, there could be no doubting that the seventy-two torpedoes were exactly what he thought they were.

* * *

The flight back to the _Enterprise _was not a long one, but Khan's gaze was fixated the entire time on the woman who called herself Alyss Marcus. There could be no doubting that she genuinely did not recognise him, and Khan felt a strong surge of hatred towards Alexander Marcus for altering the memories of his lover. The baby in her lap chattered excitedly, at times his bright blue gazing turning upon Khan.

"Your name isn't really John Harrison," Alyss stated suddenly, and Khan felt a brief flash of hope, wondering if some part of her recognised who he was after all. She narrowed her eyes and inspected him closely. Clutching her baby so close to her, it was difficult to believe that ten minutes ago, she had been cutting down Klingons with nothing more than her bare hands.

"And your name is Alyss," Khan replied, gazing between her and the child. "That was quite a display of strength down there before, I must say."

Alyss bristled. "Maternal instincts. A mother protecting her child from harm will quite literally do anything to ensure said child's welfare. I am no fighter, John Harrison. Just a woman who loves her son."

"Do you truly believe that?" Khan asked of her, raising his eyebrows elegantly. Was Alyss that far buried underneath a layer of false memories that she had forgotten what she was as well as who she was? What exactly had Marcus done to her? "No, Alyss. We both know that you are not human."

"By that definition, neither are you," Alyss retaliated, jiggling Toby in her lap. The baby had lapsed into silence, but was gazing curiously at Khan. "We all saw what you did out there. Your display was a lot showier than mine. If I'm not human, what does that make you?"

"My dear Alyss, you have forgotten so quickly," Khan chided, wondering with frustration what kind of barrier Marcus had implemented to prevent her from remembering their past. His appearance hadn't triggered anything, so it must be quite developed. Nonetheless, he would find this barrier and destroy it.

"You speak as though you know me," Alyss said softly, regarding Khan with something like askance in her eyes. She did not remember, but her expression told him she knew her life was amiss, that parts just didn't add up.

"Perhaps I do," Khan replied enigmatically. It was best to let the information out in trickles, let Alyss acclimatize to it rather than forcing all of this information upon her at once. "Do you honestly believe you are a human? You are not, you are something far more powerful than that."

"Then what am I?" Alyss whispered. She didn't want to believe Khan for a moment, but his words were so persuasive, especially when they rang true. Perhaps he did know what she was. Maybe he was the key, and he could unlock the truth as to why Ryan had attempted to kill her, why Admiral Marcus wanted her dead.

Khan smiled patiently, getting to his feet as they docked within the _Enterprise._ His hands were bound in front of him, but he made no move to escape. Alyss was just as curious as to why he had surrendered as to why he seemed to recognise her. This man had injured her husband and killed other Starfleet officers…but there was something about him, something she couldn't quite place. A connection.

"We will talk later, Alyss Garland."


	6. Illusions

**Chapter Six: Illusions**

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**A/N: Finally an update! So this chapter isn't too long, sorry. But hopefully things pick up next chapter! Please do review, let me know what you think!**

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Across one side of the brig, Alyss was settling a very excited Toby while Jim and Bones were closely inspecting Khan through the glass of the containment cell. He appeared quite unperturbed by the fact that he had been imprisoned and indeed, Jim was slightly disturbed by how easily he had surrendered to them. His gaze kept drifting towards Alyss and her child, and Jim frowned tersely.

"Don't look at her."

"Why aren't we moving, Captain?" Khan asked. They still thought of him as John Harrison, Starfleet operative. How amusing. "Allow me to guess. An unexpected malfunction? Perhaps something to do with the warp core, conveniently stranding your ship on the edge of Klingon space?"

Bones looked up from assessing the blood sample he had taken from Khan. "How the hell do you know that?"

Khan's smile was somewhat predatory. "I think you'd find my insights valuable, Captain. Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"

To be quite honest, Alyss wanted to hear what he had to say. He was implying that she was…that they knew each other. Alyss had come to the conclusion that she was not quite human, and she suspected that the same was true for this mysterious 'John Harrison'. Toby was babbling baby nonsense, more enthusiastic than Alyss had seen him in some time. Perhaps the excitement of the business on Kronos was getting to him.

"Give me one good reason why I should listen to you," Kirk challenged, turning to face Khan and staring him down through the glass.

"I can give you seventy-three," Khan stated, his eyes flicking across to Alyss, who clutched Toby tighter to her chest upon seeing that he was looking in her direction. "All of them aboard your ship, and one of them right in front of your very eyes."

Jim's gaze turned upon Alyss, who could not honestly say she was surprised. But…seventy-two others? Was he possibly referring to whatever was inside the torpedoes? After all, the number of torpedoes was the reason the man had surrendered. What lay inside them? She suddenly found herself very curious indeed. She was a long way from being Alyss Marcus, domestic housewife and mother. Garland…John Harrison had brought up her name, her maiden name. Yet, how had he known that? Was he telling the truth when he said that he knew her?

"You're suggesting that Alyss is…like you?" Jim asked incredulously, being granted a swift nod from the man in the containment cell. "She's been married to Ryan Marcus for three years. Their son is with her now. How can you deny any of that?"

Alyss set Toby on the ground when he started squirming. As a very active child, he didn't like being in his mother's arms for an extended period of time. She watched as he immediately toddled over towards the glass. Alyss wanted to reach out and pull her son back – but at the same time, she noticed John Harrison kneeling in front of the glass, watching the baby curiously. Toby steadied himself by putting his little hands against the glass, as Khan watched with something like fascination – odd, considering how bored he had appeared previously.

"Toby," Alyss chastised, walking over and picking him up. Nonetheless, the infant's eyes remained curiously glued to John Harrison.

"Cute kid." Jim inspected the baby. "He's walking young. How old is he?"

"Six months," Alyss replied. It was indeed a very early stage for a child to be walking, especially when most others Toby's age were still only crawling. He had always been remarkably advanced – and now Alyss found herself questioning that, too. She turned her attention on John Harrison. "What is in the torpedoes?"

He offered her a dry smile. "There are men and women in all of the torpedoes. I put them there."

Jim regarded the man as if he was insane. He spared Bones a shocked glance, and immediately the chief medical officer was hurrying from the brig, no doubt determined to discover whether John Harrison was telling the truth or not.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am a remnant of a time long past." He looked as though he was reminiscing. "Genetically engineered to be superior so as to lead others to peace in a world at war. But I and my companions were condemned as criminals, forced into exile. For centuries we slept, hoping that when we awoke, things would be…different. They found my ship adrift, I alone was revived…or so I had thought."

Khan knew that things were amiss about Alyss. How could she have been married to Ryan for three years, when he had only been found and woken from cryo-sleep a year past? He was also beginning to question the parentage of Toby, the small baby observing him eyes far more intelligent than other children of his age.

"Your name isn't John Harrison," Alyss stated softly, causing Khan's gaze to drift upwards from the baby to the child's mother. She seemed so sentimental, so different, so…human. Yet that display on Kronos had been more than enough to convince him that Alyss Marcus was not a doppelganger for his lover, but was in fact the woman herself.

"My name is…Khan."

"What makes you believe that Alyss is one of your kind?" Jim demanded, folding his arms over his chest. "She claims to have never seen you before, how do we know that you aren't lying?"

"A simple blood test will be enough to reveal the truth," Khan stated dismissively. "My kind were known as Augments, and Alyss Garland was one of our leading specimens. She was a mechanic and a pilot, and had a rare strength of will. She and I were lovers, for want of a better term."

"Lovers?" Alyss asked, finding all of this hard to take in. Khan was feeding her bits and pieces, fragments of a whole truth. She wanted to hear the story from beginning to end, not just whatever Khan chose to tell her. "So what you're saying is that Ryan and I…we're not…"

"Your marriage to Ryan Marcus is a falsehood," Khan said bluntly, causing Alyss to flinch and step back. Perhaps that was why Ryan had tried to kill her – because he had found out what she was. Or had he known the whole time? He must have known, especially if his father was behind this as Khan had been saying to Kirk. "A past fabricated by Alexander Marcus to keep you loyal to his son, and under his watchful eye. Unfortunately for him, Ryan was weaker of will than he anticipated. When I attacked Starfleet, Marcus instructed Ryan to kill both you and your child. It seems he could not bring himself to do so."

There was a flash of emotion in Khan's eyes, although what it was, Alyss could not have said. Yet mentioning Ryan Marcus did not seem to please Khan. Was it jealousy, then? If they had truly been lovers, then perhaps he envied the intimate connection she had with the Admiral's son.

"I want to know the truth," Alyss murmured, before she raised her voice slightly. "The whole truth, from beginning to end. Then I'll take the blood test."

* * *

Alyss had not been allowed to enter the containment cell, despite believing that Khan would not harm her. Instead she sat cross-legged on the other side of the glass with Toby in her lap, watching the young child play with the hem of her shirt. Khan also appeared fascinated by the baby, despite his utter boredom when it came to members of the _Enterprise_ crew.

"We were created, all of us." Khan observed Alyss closely, seeming to read into her expressions. "There were…a little over a hundred of us, designed to bring peace. We were better than ordinary humans. Stronger, faster…smarter. Yet despite our better qualities, our flaw was arrogance. We believed ourselves so much better that we turned against our creators and took control of the planet."

"I didn't mean the history of Augments," Alyss said, starting to become somewhat impatient. She wanted answers, and she thought that perhaps Khan was leading her down the wrong track. Was there something he didn't want her to know? "I meant my history. Us. Whatever you'd like to call it. Were we born like normal humans, or did we grow up faster?"

"There was nothing normal about us," Khan replied with some contempt, as though the comparison to humans in any way was offensive. "We were embryos at the start, however we were created in test tubes rather than between a man and a woman. We grew up like normal children, with the exception of our intense training. You were in fact one of the last of our kind to be born, as such, before the experimentation ceased. Many of us were trained in separate facilities."

"Trained for what? To keep the peace?" Alyss inquired, tilting her head to the side.

"In a way," Khan said enigmatically, raking a hand through his dark hair. "We were trained as soldiers, but we were not trained to kill. We were trained to keep the peace. By the time we first met, I was twenty-seven and you were fifteen."

So there was a twelve year difference between them. Toby was inspecting the man behind the glass with rapt attention. Alyss was somewhat perturbed by how much attention her six-month-old child was paying a man he didn't even know.

"When did we become…you know…lovers?"

"You were eighteen," Khan remarked, without even the hint of a smirk or any other smug expression. When most men talked about sexual relations, there was some trace of lechery, but Khan spoke about it in such a matter-of-fact way. "You were an innocent to such things. But I made you mine."

Alyss bit her lip. "What happened to…why were we in cryo-sleep?"

She knew that it had been her as well. Why else would she have experienced such vivid nightmares? It was all starting to make sense now, apart from the disturbing realisation that in her nightmares, she had already been pregnant when she had been woken up. Was it possible that…? No, those were just _nightmares_, they hadn't been real, they weren't memories.

"You were twenty-three years old in 1996, at the end of the Eugenics Wars. We went into cryo-sleep because we had lost the war. There were only eighty-seven of us in total, but a dozen of the canisters failed in deep space, and those Augments were lost to us."

Twelve Augments that Alyss could not remember. It stung a little to think of it like that. A dozen names and faces, completely lost to her. She clutched Toby tighter, and he looked up at his mother quizzically.

"We never did medical checks," Khan admitted. "It was a foolish decision, and possibly one that led to the deaths of some of our kind in cryo-sleep. But we were pressed for time, so we did what we had to."

"Ryan loves me," Alyss insisted, not quite understanding how her supposed husband had wormed his way into this conversation. "He does. He loves both Toby and I."

"Perhaps," Khan stated, mild irritation creeping into his tone at the mention of Ryan Marcus. The man was no good for Alyss, and it was only the loss of memories that had her thinking she cared about him. "Or perhaps he simply has a conscience. They are two different things. He spared your life, it does not mean he loves you."

Alyss pushed herself to her feet, offended by Khan's claims. Perhaps he truly did know all about her and she simply didn't remember. But he did not know Ryan Marcus and the kindness he was capable of.


End file.
